Draft gear for railway draft rigging



April 7, 1959 l A. E. DENTLER DRAFT GEAR FOR RAILWAY DRAFT RIGGING Filed Jan. 1 8, 195e 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 B'rnold E.Den/e1.

Sil/wwf April 7,` 1959 A. EFDENTLER DRAFT GEAR FoR RAILWAY DRAFT- RIGGING Filed Jan. 18, 195e 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 7, 1959 A. E. DENTLER` j 2,880,884

DRAFT GEAR FOR RAILWAY DRAFT RIGGING Filed Jan. 18, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 12g, 5 :37 /0 :B17 E6 26 5 /26 'B 3 j V//////,///////////// W /W 50 ,SJO

' 'AInVen or:

' .HrnoZE en'len nited States Patent O DRAFT GEAR FoR RAILWAY DRAFT RIGGING Arnold E. Dentler, La Grange Park, lll., assignor to W. H. Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application January 18, 1956, Serial No. 559,920

Claims. (Cl. 213-40) This invention relates to draft gear for railway draft r1gg1ng.

It is a main object of the invention to provide an encased draft gear in which there is a resilient column composed of a plurality of metal-faced solid rubber units that are initially stressed in shear laterally of the column and in which frictional members engage the casing to maintain the column aligned and to control its movements under compression and recoil.

Another object of the invention is to provide an encased draft gear in which alternate separators in the resilient column are forced laterally in one direction and the intervening separators in the column are forced laterally in the opposite direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide in an encased gear a resilient column composed of a plurality of units each of which is stressed in shear laterally of the column, which stresses influence the flow of the rubber in the unit as the unit is compressed axially of the column.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rubber friction draft gear in which friction is applied throughout the axial length of the column during operation of the gear.

Further objects of the invention not specifically mentioned here will be apparent from the detailed description and claims which follow, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example and in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view taken along a vertical plane through the axis of the gear with the rubber units shown in full;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view along the line 2-2 of' Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure l, showing the gear compressed;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a friction member with part broken away; and

Figure 5 is an edgewise view of a resilient unit in relaxed condition.

The gear of the present invention consists of a metallic casing having a top wall 10, a bottom wall 11, and side walls 12 and 13, with a rear wall 14 formed integral therewith. Within the casing is a resilient column consisting of resilient units A, friction members B, a rear follower C, and a plunger D.

As will be seen best in Figure 5, each of the resilient units A consists of a pair of solid metallic plates 20 and 21, of rectangular shape, disposed parallel to each other with the plate 21 offset laterally with respect to the plate 20. A solid mass of rubber 22 is disposed between and bonded to the plates 20 and 21. The unit is formed by molding with the plates in offset relation, as shown in Figure 5.

The friction members B, best seen in Figure 4, consist of a rectangular plate 25, from the one longer edge of which a flange 26 projects equally from both faces ICC of the plate. Along the shorter sides of the plate 21 are flanges 27 which are V-shaped, diverging from the unllanged edge of the plate 25 to the free edges of the flange 26.

The rear follower C consists of a plate 30 that abuts against the rear wall 14 of the casing and from one edge of which a short flange 31 projects forwardly.

In assembling the gear, the rear follower C is registered in the open end of the casing and a unit A registered therewith with the plate 21 thereof abutting against the flange 31 on the follower C. A first friction member B is then registered with the upper plate 20 of the resilient unit A, the plate 20 abutting against the inner surface of the flange 26 on that member. The friction member B is then forced laterally to register the outer surface of the llange 26 with the inner surface of .wall 10 of the casing, and the member B and unit A then forced downwardly into the casing until the plate 25 of the member B is in approximate alignment with the open end of the casing. A second unit A2, turned with respect to the ilrst unit A, is registered with the friction member B, with the plate 21 of the unit A2 also abutting against the inside surface of the flange 26. A second friction member B2 is then registered with the unit A2, with the plate 21 of the unit A2 abutting against the inner surface of the flange 26 of the member B2. The member B2 is then forced laterally to register the outer surface of the flange 26 with the inner surface of wall 11 of the casing, and the units A and A2 and, B and B2 forced into the casing far enough to substantially align the plate 25 of the unit B2 with the open end of the casing.

Additional resilient units A38 and friction members B3-7 are added in the foregoing manner with the flanges of the friction members alternated in the manner shown in Figure l. When the last unit has been registered with the casing, a front follower 35 is registered with the casing and telescoped therein, followed by the plunger D, pressure being applied to the plunger D sufficient to move it inwardly of the open end of the casing far enough to move the laterally extending flanges 36 on the plunger past the openings 37 in the walls 10 and 11 of the casing. Locking keys 38 are then inserted through these openings 37 and secured in place as by welding, to secure the gear together. Pressure is then removed from the plunger D, causing the column to expand and force the flanges 36 on the plunger against the keys 38 in* in shear laterally of the longitudinal axis of the column.v

Through this arrangement each of the flanges 26 of the friction members will be forced into engagement with the wall of the casing with which it is registered. The amount of this force will depend upon the amount of movement of the relatively offset plates from their relaxed position towards registration one with the other. In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, each plate 21 is forced laterally towards registration with the plate 20 of the same unit a distance approximately equal to one-half of the amount of offset of the plates.

By stressing the rubber in the units in shear in this manner, appreciable friction pressure between the anges 26 of the friction members B and the walls of the casing is achieved. When the resilient units in the column are compressed through an application of pressure to the plunger D, the shear stresses in the rubber of the units influence the flow of the rubber under compression, causing that rubber to ow towards the flanges 26 of the friction members against which the plates of the unit are abutted. Thus, compression of the rubber units increasesy the pressure of engagement of the flanges with the walls ofthe casing, thereby increasing: the frictional resistance to movement of those flanges longitudinally of the casing wall.

In Figurey 3, I have shown the gear compressed to approximately maximum travelA of the plunger D. It will be noted that the rubber 22 inthe front two units of thel column bulges out into engagement with the inner surface of the ange Z6 of the front friction member B7, thereby forcing that ange into tight frictional engagement with the wall 10'of the casing, and that the rubber 22Y in the second and third units of the column also bulges into engagement withk the flange 26 of the second frictionalv member B6, forcing that flange into frictionaly engagement with the Wall 11 of the casing.

Thus, it will be seen that by initially stressing the resilient units in the column in shear, laterally of the longitudinally axis of the column, and providing frictional members the alternate ones of which are thus. forced against one wall of the casing with the intervening ones thus forced against the opposite Wall of the casing, I have produced a rubber friction gear in which friction is applied throughout the axial length of the column during operation of the gear. Desired operating characteristics can be built into the gear and modied by varying the thickness of the resilient units, by varying the composition of the rubber therein, and byv varying the amount ofV lateral displacement which results in the varying of the shear stresses initially placed. inthe units. If desired, the resilient unitsmay bemolded with the plates thereof in alignment and the unitsstressed by registration with offset bosses on the friction memberswhich pull the plateslaterally with respect to each other. Through this procedure the gear of the presentinvention can be adapted to the many uses encountered in the. art.

While I` have chosen to show my invention by illustrating and describing a preferred embodiment of it, I have done so by way of example only, as there are many modifications and adaptations which can be made by one skilled in the art within the teachings of' the invention.

`Having thus complied with the statutes and shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what I consider new and desire tov have protected by Letters' Patent' is pointed out in the appended claims.

WhatY I; claim is:

1'. In a draft gear for railway draft rigging, a casing open at one end and having opposed' top and bottom wa1ls;,a resilient column in said casing comprising: a plurality of friction members each consisting of a rectangular plate disposed transversely ofl the casing and a 'ange on one side of the plate projecting from both faces thereof, the flanges on alternate onesvof said members engaging the top wall of the casing andthe flanges on intervening ones of the members engaging the bottom wall thereof; a plurality of resilient units each consistingof a pair of metallic plates disposed parallel to and oppositely offset `with respect to each other and a padA of rubber disposed between and bonded to the plates, said resilient units being disposed between ad'- jacent pairs of friction member plates, with each unit plate` engaging the flange' of an adjacent friction member, the engagement of said flanges with the resilient unitv plates and the casing walls decreasing the offset of the unit plates with respect to each other thereby to stress the rubber pad in shear; aplunger disposed on the open. end of the casingr and movable inwardly thereofv torcompress the'column, inward movement of' the plunger being ,resisted byy the compressive' resistance: of the-rubberpad's and byl frictionrbetweenrthe: flange and casing walls- `2. In a. draft gear for railway draft rigging;` a casing open at one endand having opposed top and bottom walls; a resilient column in said casing. comprising:4 a plurality of friction members each consisting of a rectangular plate disposed transversely of the casing and a liange on one side of said plate projecting equidistant from both faces thereof, alternate ones of said members being disposed with the flanges thereof engaging the top wall of the casingand intervening ones of said members being disposed with the angesk thereof engaging the bottom wall of the casing; a pluralityv of resilient units each' unit consisting of apair of? metal plates oppositely olfset with respect to: eaclr other and a rubber pad interposed between and bondedk to said plates, saidl units being disposed one between each adjacent pair of friction member plates with each unit plate engaging the ange of an adjacent friction member, the engagement of said flanges with the walls of the casing and with the resilient unit plates decreasing the oifset of. the. resilient unit platesvv thereby toi stress the rubber pads in shear, and a plunger telescopable into; the; casing through the open end thereof forl compressing saidcolumn.

3.. In a: draft gear' for railway draft rigging; a; casing open.- at one endl and having, opposedtop' and bottomi walls; a resilientcolumn withink said casingcomprising:I a plurality of resilient units andV friction members inter-y posed one betweenA each adjacent pair of resilient units.; eachL of said` friction members consistingof a plate disposedy between the resilient units and a; flange` on saidplate extending beyond both faces thereof, the anges; on. alternatev ones of said friction membersv engagingl the; top wall of the casing and the flanges onV intervening; ones of the members` engaging the bottom wallY ofthe casing; each; of said resilient units comprising a pair of; metal plates spaced apart and oppositely offset. with,l re. spect to.- eachother. and ak pad of rubber disposedy be,- tween andbonded totheplates, each. plateof each-unitiv engaging the plate and flange of a friction member, engagement of the anges with the top and bottomwalls of the casing-1 decreasing the offset of the metal platesy to approximately one-half the offset thereof when the unit. is in relaxed state thereby to stress the rubber pad in shear to-y maintain the angesiny engagement with the casing. Wallsl under pressure; and a plunger in: the open, end` of the casing movable inwardly to compress the column, movement o f the plunger inwardly of the casing'N beingl resisted by the compressive resistance of the-rubaber and by friction between the flanges and casing walls..

4. In; adraft gear for railway draft rigging; a. casing comprising: a rear end wall and integral top, bottomand.v side walls extending forwardly therefrom, said top and bottom walls having width transversely of the casing greater than the height of` said side. walls; a resilient column in said casing comprising: a rear follower, a front follower, a plurality of resilient units and a plu,W rality of friction members; each of said5 friction members comprising a rectangular plate, a angey on one,` of, the longer sides of said plate extending equidistant from the two faces of the plate, end flanges on thel plate tapering from the free edges of the first mentioned flange to the faces of the plate at the edge thereof` re-l mote from` said` first-mentioned flange, said membersbe.- ing. disposed. in the casing with the endflanges engag-v ing thel side walls'thereof and withy the longer side. flanges of the alternate members engaging said topwall andthe' longer side anges of the. interveningV members" engagingV said bottom wall; each of said resilient units corna prising a pair of rectangular metal plates disposed-spaced apart with their shorter side aligned and withtheirk longer sides offset and a mass of rubber disposed. be-

tween and bonded toV said metal plates; said. rear follower having` a forwardly extending ange engaging said bottom Wall and said front follower having a rearwardlyI extending flange engaging the bottom wall: andA end flanges-engaging said side walls, said resilient units beingdisposed one between each pair of friction members,

one between the rear friction member and rear follower, and one between the front friction member and front follower; said metal plates of the resilient units engaging the flanges on said friction members and followers and the engagement of said flanges with the top and bottom Walls of the casing decreasing the offset of the plates of each unit thereby to stress the rubber in the unit in shear to force the flanges into frictional engagement with the Walls; and a plunger in the forward end of the casing movable inwardly thereof against the compressive resistance of said resilient units and frictional resistance of said flanges engaging said walls.

5. A draft gear for railway draft rigging including: an enclosure having opposed walls; a resilient column within said enclosure composed of a plurality of units each containing a pair of metallic plates disposed transversely of the column and a rubber pad interposed between said plates and bonded thereto; friction members interposed between adjacent ones of said units, each of plate of one of said units, said members being arranged with the flanges on alternate ones thereof engaging a first one of said opposed walls and with the flanges on the intervening ones thereof engaging a second one of said opposed walls, the engagement of said flanges with said Walls and metal plates stressing the rubber in said pads in shear, thereby to press the flanges into frictional engagement with the walls engaged thereby, and a plunger for compressing said column, said shear stress causing the rubber in the pads to be distorted laterally as the column is compressed thereby to increase the pressure between said flanges and the walls engaged thereby.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,565,650 Dath Aug. 28, 1951 

